Great American Business Leaders of the 20th Century

Though the firm JWT was incorporated in 1896, Thompson began revolutionizing the advertising industry in 1898. Seeing that women were becoming the primary household shoppers and that grouping magazines together as a unit would be more beneficial to advertisers, Thompson was able to successfully run campaigns in such magazines as Godey’s Ladies Book and Peterson’s Magazine. By the time Thompson retired in 1916, he had represented such companies as Eastman Kodak and Prudential Insurance, and his company had become an advertising industry leader.